Improvement in harvesters



UNITED TATE s K. H. o. PnEsToN," oF MANLiUs, new YORK, Assrenon To HIMsnLF,

PATENT. OFIGE.-

i sTEPHENf CHENEY, Ann M. B. snoox.

`|lvll'noveflviENTIN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of I ietters lPatent No. 811,686,1dated September 1,

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known tha't I, K. H. C. PREsT0N,Iof Manlius, in the county of Onondaga, Yand State of New York, have invented a' new and Improved Beaping and Mowing Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in reaping and. mowing machines.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure l is a plan or top view of my invention Fig. 2, a side sectional view of the same, taken in the line .fr x, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a section of a portion of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 4, a section of a portion of the same, taken in the line z z, Fig. 2; Fig.`5, a section of a portion of the same, taken in the line w Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a section of a portion of the same, taken in the line y y', Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate correl sponding parts.

A represents a rectangular frame, which is mounted on two wheels, B B, has a drivers seat, G, on its rear part, and a draft-pole, l), attached to its rear part by a horizontal joint, a. The wheels B B are placed loosely on their axle E, but are connected with the latter,

` when the machine is drawn forward, by means of pawls F, which are attached to the wheels, engaging with ratchets G on the axle, the pawls slipping over the ratchets when the machine is backed. This pawl-and-ratchet connection, however, is old and well-known, and my improvement, which is used in connection with it, consists of sliding collars H E, placed on the axle E, one near each ratchet G, said collars ittin g in forked levers I, the outer ends of which are connected by rods b b to a crosshead, c, at the lower end of a vertical shaft, d, which is fitted in a suitable bearing attached to frame A, and has a lever, e, on its upper end for the convenience of turning it.

The collars H are formed with beveled sides, as shown in Fig. 5,'and each pawlF is formed with a projection, f, for the beveled edges of the collars H to catch under and raise the pawlsfree from the ratchets when the collars are moved toward the same by turning shaft d. By 'this arrangement it will be seen that the wheels B B may be disconnected from the axle when the machine is drawn forward, and the sickle driving mechanism consequently rendered inoperative, so that the device may be drawn or transported from place to place, turned at the ends of the swaths, &c., without moving or operating the sickle.

The sickle Iis driven from the axle E by three wheels, g, and three pinions, h, (see Fig. 1,) the front pinion h being on a shaft, c', at the front part of frame A, and having a crankpulley, J, on its outer end, to which a connecting-rod, K, is attached by a universal joint, j, the connecting-rod K being at the outer side ofthe right-hand wheelB of the machine.

The rear end of the connecting-rod is attached by a joint, L, of peculiar construction, (see Fig. 6,) a cross-head, k, being formed at the end of the rod, and provided with a journal, l, at each end to f1t into eyes m at the ends of screwbolts, which pass through two t boxes, n n, fitted on the crank-lever M, connected with the sickle I.

.'Ihe boxes n n are allowed to turn freely on the crank-lever, and the cross-head k allowed to turn between the eyes m m of the screwbolts, and as the latter secure the boxes n n in contact, the crosshead 7c is brought in contact with the front box n, the latter serving as a support for the cross-head, and rendering the joint strong and durable, well calculated to resist wear and insure an easy motion of the crank-lever.

The crank-lever has its fulcrum on a bar, N, the front end of which is connected by a universal joint, o, to a bar, p, attached to the front of frame A, said bar N being at the outer side of the ri ght-hand wheel B, and extending back to the rear of frame A, and connected by a horizontal joint, q, with one end of a bar, O, which is parallel with the rear of frame A, and has its opposite end connected by a universal joint, r, with a bar, P, attached to the rear of the left-hand side of the main frame.

The finger-bar Q is attached to the rear part of bar N. The bars N O are not new,

and consequently do not form, in themselves considered, a part of my invention.

The crank-lever is connected to the sickle by means of a Wooden strip or bar, It, one end of which is pivoted to the sickle, as shown at s, and the opposite end connected to the cranklever, as shown at t. (See Fig. 4.)

In all machines heretofore constructed the motion of the sickle-bar causes the metallic link to Wear rapidly by friction; but by the use of the Wooden bar the Wear of metal parts is entirely avoided.

The sickle-driving mechanism, it Will be seen, is composed of spur-gearing throughout, bevel-gears being entirely avoided, and the gearing is entirely out of the Way, being under the platform of the main frame.

The draft-pole D is provided With a hook, u, which catches around a rib, o, on a segment-bar, S, attached to the main frame, the hook u having a screw-nut, o, on one end, by

turning which the hook may be made to clutch the rib c and the front end of the main frame, and consequently the points of the fingers or guards held at a greater or less height, as may be desired.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The joint L, when the screw-bolts carrying the boxes n n are provided with eyes m m, to receive the journals of the cross-head 'R upon the connecting-rod K, as herein described, for the purpose specified.

2. The projections f on the paWls F on the Wheels B, in connection with the beveled sliding collars H H on thev axle E, all arranged to operate in connection with the ratchet G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

K. H. C. PRESTON..

Witnesses:

JOSEPH BAKER, P. D. HAM. 

